Little Atoms

Joshua Cohen was born in 1980 in Atlantic City. He has written novels (Book of Numbers), short fiction (Four New Messages), and nonfiction for the New York Times, Harper’s Magazine, London Review of Books, n+1, and others. In 2017 he was named one of Granta’s Best of Young American Novelists. His latest novel is Moving Kings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Mesmerism” was a part of mainstream medicine in the 19th century, with many believing the unprovable concept of “animal magnetism”. The idea influenced everyone from Robert Louis Stevenson to Sigmund Freud, creating lurid tales of split personalities and mind control, from Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to Trilby. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Saini is an award-winning science journalist, author and broadcaster. She is the author of Geek Science: How Indian Science is Taking Over the World, and her latest book is Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong - and the New Research That's Rewriting the Story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 1 of Little Atoms' documentary series "Converging Cultures" explores the influence of science on the Romantic and Gothic imagination. Electricity captivated the greatest minds of the “age of wonder”. Gentlemen amateurs amazed audiences with their experiments, and some even believed electricity could conquer death itself. The young Mary Shelley was as enthralled as anyone - leading to the greatest horror creation of all time: Frankenstein.Presented by Neil DennyProduced by Thomas GlasserLittle Atoms' series Converging Cultures was created with the support of the Wellcome Trust Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ann Druyan is an author and television and film writer & producer whose work is largely concerned with the effects of science and technology on our civilization. She was co-writer with Carl Sagan and Steven Soter of the Emmy and Peabody Award winning television series COSMOS. This interview was first broadcast in March 2013. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marcel Theroux is the author of five novels: A Blow to the Heart, A Stranger in the Earth, The Paperchase (winner of the 2002 Somerset Maugham Award), Far North (shortlisted for America's prestigious National Book Award), and Strange Bodies. His latest novel is The Secret Books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marcus Du Sautoy is Professor of Mathematics and Simonyi Professor for the Public understanding of Science at Oxford University, and Jamie Perera is a composer and sound artist. In this show we talk about and listen to their musical, mathematical collaboration The Sound of Proof. Click here for the experiment that Marcus mentions at the end of the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Eagleman is a neuroscientist at Stanford University. His scientific research is published in journals from Science to Nature, and he is also the author of the internationally bestselling books Sum and Incognito. He is the writer and presenter of the companion BBC television series The Brain.Anthony Brandt is an internationally acclaimed composer and a Professor of Composition and Theory at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. His musical output includes two chamber operas and works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, dance, theatre, film, and television. He is also Artistic Director of the award-winning new music ensemble Musiqa.Anthony and David are the authors of The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes The World. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dallas Campbell has presented some of the most ambitious landmark series across the BBC, such as City in the Sky with Dr Hannah Fry and Stargazing Live with Dara O'Brian and Brian Cox, which included broadcasting Astronaut Tim Peake's historic live launch to the International Space Station and was nominated for a BAFTA. In 2014, Dallas embarked on a six-part international series for National Geographic and he continues to regularly present for the Horizon Guide series on BBC4. In 2016 he went back in time to re-create 'Television's First Night', for the 80th anniversary of BBC television. Dallas is a regular contributor to the BBC's science magazine Focus, The Times' Eureka magazine and has written for The Observer. He is the author of Ad Astra: An Illustrated Guide to Leaving The Planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christopher Bollen is a writer who lives in New York City. He regularly writes about art, literature, and culture. He is the author of Lightning People and Orient and is currently the Editor at Large at Interview Magazine. Christopher's latest novel is The Destroyers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.